JPH10210336A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic camera which records the position information measured by a GPS(global positioning system) in a photographing mode on a storage medium, together with the photographed images and also produces a warning to a user, if the accurate measurement of a position is impossible for the photographing that is being performed in a room, etc., where the measurement of position is impossible via the GPS. SOLUTION: This camera fetches the position measurement data from a GPS unit 160, to obtain the position information snowing a photographing place and records the obtained position measurement data on a PC card 150, together with the photographed images. When photographing is performed at a place such as in a room where no radio wave reaches from a satellite, the position measurement its impossible via the unit 160. Thereby, a main CPU 100 devices whether an AC adopter is used or detects the color temperature measure by a color measurement sensor 180. When the AC adapter is sued or the color temperature of the indoor light is detected, the CPU 100 decides it as an indoor photographing and produces a warning to notify that the position measurement is impossible via a GPS by means of a buzzer 98, a warning LED 77, an LCD 92, etc.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly, to a GPS (Global Positioning Sys).
The present invention relates to a camera that records position information at the time of shooting, which is measured according to tem), together with a shot image on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art GPS receives radio waves from a large number of mobile satellites, and can receive three points at any position on the earth.
This is a positioning system that can measure dimensional positions (latitude, longitude, etc.). Conventionally, a system in which a GPS device is connected to a camera (built-in) and position information measured by the GPS device is recorded on a recording medium together with a photographed image is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-2004.
70724 and JP-A-04-347977. According to such a system, when reproducing a photographed image, the photographing location of the photographed image can be known by referring to the position information measured by the GPS device, and a desired photographed image is searched by the photographing location. be able to.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, GPS
The device cannot perform positioning in places such as indoors where radio waves from satellites cannot be received, and when shooting in such places, accurate position information cannot be obtained from the GPS device, and information apologized is recorded. May be. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in an electronic camera that records position information at the time of photographing measured by GPS on a recording medium together with a photographed image, an image is photographed in a place where GPS cannot be measured, such as indoors. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera that warns a user by issuing a warning that accurate positioning cannot be performed in such a case.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a camera which is operated by a built-in battery and is operated by being supplied with electric power from a commercial power supply when the commercial power supply is connected. A camera that captures positioning information indicating a shooting location from a GPS device at the time of shooting and records the positioning information on a recording medium together with a shot image,
Detecting whether or not the commercial power supply is connected, and when the commercial power supply is connected, determines that shooting is performed indoors and outputs a signal indicating that positioning by the GPS device is impossible. I have.

According to the present invention, when it is detected that power is supplied from a commercial power supply mainly used indoors, a signal indicating that positioning is impossible due to indoor photography is provided. Output. With this signal, for example, it is possible to warn the user that the positioning information is not recorded on the recording medium. In order to achieve the above object, a camera that captures positioning information indicating a shooting location from a GPS device at the time of shooting and records the positioning information together with a shot image on a recording medium has a colorimetric sensor that measures a color temperature. And
When the colorimetric sensor detects a color temperature generated in the room, the colorimetric sensor outputs a signal indicating that positioning by the GPS device is impossible.

According to the present invention, when the color temperature generated in a room such as a tungsten lamp or a fluorescent lamp used mainly in a room is detected by a colorimetric sensor, positioning cannot be performed because the image is taken indoors. And outputs a signal indicating that With this signal, for example, it is possible to warn the user that the positioning information is not recorded on the recording medium.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the camera according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic camera to which the present invention is applied. The electronic camera shown in the figure mainly includes an optical unit 10, a CCD unit 30, an imaging unit 40,
It comprises a process unit 60, a camera unit 80, a display unit 90, a SW (switch) unit 110, a strobe unit 120, an output unit 130, and a GPS unit 160.

The optical unit 10 has a photographic lens 12, such as a focus lens and a variable power lens, a diaphragm 14, and an optical LPF 16, and the image light of the photographing object is transmitted through the photographic lens 12, the diaphragm 14, and the optical LPF 16. Is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD sensor 32. The zoom lens and the focus lens of the photographing lens 12 are moved by a zoom motor driver 82 and a focus motor driver 84 controlled by the camera control CPU 88 of the camera unit 80, whereby the zoom magnification and the focus are adjusted. The aperture of the aperture 14 is adjusted by an iris motor driver 86 controlled by the camera control CPU 88.

The camera control CPU 88 controls the SW unit 1
When the command signal transmitted from the main CPU 100 of the process unit 60 is received when the release switch 112 is half-pressed, the distance to the subject is measured by the distance measuring sensor 13 and the light
The subject brightness is measured by 6. Then, the zoom motor driver 82 and the focus motor driver 84 are driven based on the distance measurement value and shooting information such as the zoom magnification input from an operation switch (not shown) of the SW unit 110, and the zoom magnification of the photographing lens 12 and Adjust the focus. In addition to controlling the light emission of the strobe 124 based on the photometric value, the iris motor driver 86 is driven to adjust the aperture amount of the aperture 14. In addition, strobe 12
Reference numeral 4 indicates that when the subject is dark, the accumulated charge is discharged from the discharge capacitor 122 of the strobe unit 120 to emit light.

The optical unit 10 has a viewfinder 18 so that a photographing subject can be confirmed by the viewfinder 18. An LCD 20 driven by an LCD driver 94 of the display unit 90 is mounted on the viewfinder 18, and various information from the main CPU 100 is displayed in the viewfinder 18.

The CCD unit 30 has a CCD sensor 32 for converting the image light formed on the light receiving surface by the taking lens 12 of the optical unit 10 into an electric signal (image signal). Imaging unit 4
0 clock generation circuit 46 to the horizontal clock driver 4
The horizontal transfer clock and the vertical transfer clock are input via the vertical clock driver 8 and the vertical clock driver 50, whereby the electric charges accumulated on the light receiving surface are swept out. And this C
When the release switch 112 of the SW unit 110 is fully depressed, the CD sensor 32 starts accumulating electric charges in response to a command signal from the main CPU 100, and transmits the accumulated electric charges to the imaging unit 40 after a lapse of a shutter time obtained by photometry. Output.

The imaging unit 40 has a digital imaging signal processing circuit 42 and an A / D converter 44, and inputs an image signal output from the CCD sensor 32 of the CCD unit 30 to the digital imaging processing circuit 42. The digital imaging processing circuit 42 performs white balance and gamma correction processing on the input image signal, and outputs the image signal to the A / D converter 44. A / D converter 4
Reference numeral 4 denotes an A / D converter for converting the image signal input from the digital imaging processing circuit 42 into a digital signal, and then inputs the digital signal to the YC processing circuit 62 of the process unit 60.

The image pickup unit 40 is a DC / DC controlled on / off by a camera control CPU 88.
The DC / DC converter 52 includes a converter 52.
To the respective circuits of the imaging unit 40 and the CCD sensor 3
2 and the like are supplied with power. The above process unit 60
Has a main CPU 100 that controls the entire apparatus, a recording circuit that records the image signal on the PC card 150, and the like.
The digital image signal output from the A / D converter 44 of the imaging unit 40 is input to the YC processing circuit 62 which is one of the circuits constituting the recording circuit. The YC processing circuit 62 includes a clock generation circuit 46 of the imaging unit 40.
, And operates in synchronization with the timing of sweeping out the accumulated charge of the CCD sensor 32, and converts the input image signal into a luminance signal Y and a color difference signal BY,
Convert to RY.

The luminance signal and the chrominance signal generated by the YC processing circuit 62 are temporarily stored in a frame memory (DRAM) 66 by a memory controller 64, and then sequentially read from the frame memory 66 to a compression / decompression circuit 68. The compression / expansion circuit 68 performs image compression processing on these luminance signals and color difference signals, and records the signals on the PC card 150 via the PC card interface 70.

The process unit 60 has an encoder circuit 72, and inputs a luminance signal and a color difference signal from the YC processing circuit 62 to the encoder circuit 72 when outputting an image signal to the liquid crystal monitor 170 or another external device. The encoder circuit 72 converts the input luminance signal and color difference signal into a video signal (NTSC signal) for video output and outputs the video signal to the output unit 130. When the image signal recorded on the PC card 150 is externally output, the image signal subjected to the image compression processing is read from the PC card 150 to the compression / decompression circuit 68 via the PC card interface 70, and
After the image signal is restored by the compression / decompression circuit 68, Y
The signal is output to the encoder circuit 72 via the C processing circuit 62. An on-screen control circuit 73 is connected to the encoder circuit 72 so that information from the main CPU 100 is superimposed on an image signal output from the encoder circuit 72.

The liquid crystal monitor 170 receives a video signal output from the encoder circuit 72 via the output unit 130 and displays an image on the monitor. The liquid crystal monitor 170 is provided with a built-in battery 14 of an electronic camera body described later.
0, power is supplied from the LCD monitor 17
The power of 0 is supplied via a liquid crystal monitor power switch 75 that is turned on / off by the main CPU 100.

The process unit 60 includes a DC
The built-in battery 140 is connected via the jack 74. The built-in battery 140 is connected to each circuit of each unit from the DC jack 74 and supplies power to each circuit. Further, the electronic camera can use a commercial power supply instead of the built-in battery 140, and when using a commercial power supply,
Connect to DC jack 74 via AC adapter.
The DC jack 74 has a built-in battery
And the commercial power supply. When the commercial power supply is not used, the built-in battery 140 is connected as the power supply to be used.

The process unit 60 is provided with a power switch 78 for turning on / off the power of the electronic camera, a ready LED 79 for displaying a photographable state, and a warning LED 77 for displaying a warning. Display unit 9
Reference numeral 0 denotes an LCD 92 mounted on the outer surface of the electronic camera. The LCD 92 is driven by an LCD driver 96 controlled by the main CPU 100, and outputs various information from the main CPU 100 (current exposure mode of the camera, PC card 150). Is displayed. Further, the display unit 90 has a buzzer 98 controlled by the main CPU 100, and the buzzer 98 generates a sound such as a warning sound.

The GPS unit 160 is connected to the main CPU 100 via the output unit 130 by a signal line. GPS orbits multiple satellites in orbit,
This is a system for transmitting periodic continuous signals and its own orbit data from each satellite. This GPS unit 160 receives information from four satellites at the same time to measure the distance,
The position (latitude, longitude, etc.) information of the receiving location is obtained by solving the above equations.

The GPS unit 160 transmits and receives various signals to and from the main CPU 100 through signal lines,
Positioning is started according to a command signal from U100, positioning is sequentially performed at predetermined time intervals, and the obtained position information is transmitted to the main CPU 100 as positioning data. In addition, GP
S's satellite has an atomic clock and the GPS unit 16
0 can simultaneously obtain time information indicating the current time in addition to position information by positioning, and can also transmit this time information as positioning data at the same time. Hereinafter, information obtained by the GPS unit 160 in consideration of transmitting position information and time information as positioning data is referred to as positioning information.

The GPS unit 160 is supplied with power from the built-in battery 140 (or AC adapter) of the electronic camera main body, and receives power from the GPS unit 1.
The power of the power supply 60 is controlled to be turned on / off by a GPS power switch 76 of the process unit 60 controlled by the main CPU 100. This allows GP
Power is supplied to the S unit 160 from the built-in battery 140 as needed.

Although the details will be described later, the captured image is transferred to the PC card 1.
When recording to the PC 50, the main CPU 100 causes the GPS unit 160 to execute positioning, fetches positioning information (positioning data) indicating a shooting location and the like from the GPS unit 160, and fetches the positioning information together with an image signal into the PC card 15.
Record at 0. Thus, when reproducing the image signal recorded on the PC card 150, it is possible to know information such as a photographing place by referring to the positioning information recorded on the PC card 150.

As shown in FIG. 1, the voltage of the terminal to which the AC adapter is connected is detected by the main CPU 100. The main CPU 100
As a result, the AC adapter is connected to this input terminal and A
Determines whether power is being supplied from the C adapter,
If it is determined that power is being supplied from the AC adapter, it is determined that shooting is indoors. That is, AC
When power is supplied from the adapter, indoor commercial power is used. In this case, indoor shooting is determined.

For example, when the electronic camera is installed in a GPS
If the GPS unit 160 executes positioning at this location when the camera is taken to a location where positioning cannot be performed, positioning information cannot be sent from the GPS unit 160 because positioning is impossible, or incorrect positioning information is transmitted. May be received. For this reason, the main CPU 100 determines that shooting is performed indoors by using the AC adapter. A warning is issued that positioning by 160 is not possible.

The main CPU 100 prevents the GPS unit 160 from malfunctioning due to noise generated from a circuit of the electronic camera when the GPS unit 160 performs positioning, and also saves the built-in battery 140. An imaging circuit and a recording circuit of an electronic camera (the imaging circuit and the recording circuit are circuits for processing image signals other than the camera unit 80, the display unit 90, and the main CPU 100; and the imaging circuit is mainly composed of the CCD unit 30 and the imaging unit 40). And the recording circuit mainly stops supplying power to the YC processing circuit 62, the memory controller 64, the compression / decompression circuit 68, the PC card interface 70, and the encoder circuit 72 of the process unit 60). Like that.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the main CPU 100 when it is determined that the photographing is performed indoors by using the AC adapter. First, when the power switch 78 of the electronic camera is turned on, the main CPU 100
Detects the power supply voltage from the AC adapter and determines whether the AC adapter is used (step S1).
0). At this time, if the AC adapter is not used and the built-in battery 140 is used, the GPS power switch 76 is turned on to supply power to the GPS unit 160, and the GPS unit 160 performs positioning (step S12). At this time, the main CPU 100
Power is not supplied to the imaging / recording circuit to prevent malfunction of the PS unit 160 and to save power consumption. The main CPU 100 is the GPS unit 1
It communicates with the H.60 to determine whether or not positioning has been completed (step S14), and when positioning has been completed, fetches positioning data from the GPS unit 160 (step S16).
Then, the half-pressed state of the release switch 112 is monitored (step S18). Although not shown, when the release switch 112 is half-pressed in a state where the positioning is not completed, a warning is generated by the buzzer 98, the warning LED 77, the LCD 92, and the like.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that the AC adapter is being used, it is determined that the photographing is to be performed indoors, and the buzzer 98, the warning LED 77, the LCD 9
Then, the user is warned that positioning by the GPS unit 160 is impossible (step S17).
Monitor the half-pressed state of the release switch 112 without executing the positioning by the unit 160 (step S1)
8).

The main CPU 100 monitors the half-pressed state of the release switch 112 as described above (step S).
18) If half-pressing of the release switch 112 is detected, it is determined whether or not an AC adapter is being used (step S20). Then, if the AC adapter is used, it is determined whether or not the positioning of the GPS unit 160 has been completed (step S22). If not, the buzzer 98, the warning LED 77, the LCD 9
2 or the like, a warning is issued to warn that the shooting location is a place where positioning by GPS is impossible (for example,
If the positioning is not possible in the case of taking a picture in the shadow of a building or taking a picture indoors without using an AC adapter, a warning indicating that the positioning is impossible is issued (step S2).
4).

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S20 that the AC adapter is not used,
If it is determined that the positioning has been completed, the photometric operation is executed to obtain the photometric value (step S2).
6) A distance measurement value is obtained by executing a distance measurement operation (step S).
28). Then, the lens of the photographing lens 12 is driven based on the obtained distance measurement value to adjust the focus or the like (step S30).

Next, the main CPU 100 monitors the state where the release switch 112 is fully pressed, and determines whether or not the release switch 112 is fully pressed (step S32). When the release switch 112 is fully pressed, power is supplied to the imaging / recording circuit to operate the imaging / recording circuit (step S34), and an image signal of a captured image is obtained by the CCD sensor 32 as described above. The image signal is compressed and recorded on the PC card 150. If you are not using an AC adapter,
The positioning data taken from the PS unit 160 is recorded on the PC card 150 together with the image signal (step S3)
6).

When the recording of the photographed image on the PC card 150 is completed, the main CPU 100 stops the power supply to the imaging / recording circuit (step S3).
8) Then, the supply of power to the GPS unit 160 is stopped (step S40), and the photographing is completed. In the case where shooting is to be performed continuously, the GPS
The processing from step S10 is repeatedly executed without stopping the supply of power to the unit 160.

According to the processing procedure of the main CPU 100, when the AC adapter is used, it is determined that the photographing is performed indoors. In this case, it is warned that the positioning by the GPS unit 160 will not be performed so that the positioning is not performed. However, as shown in FIG.
0 may be provided, and the colorimetric sensor 180 may determine whether or not the image is taken indoors.

The colorimetric sensor 180 shown in FIG. 1 measures the color temperature. When the release switch 112 is half-pressed, the colorimetric sensor 180 measures the color temperature and sends the measurement result to the main CP.
Output to U100. When the main CPU 100 detects the color temperature of the tungsten lamp or the color temperature of the fluorescent lamp from the measurement result input from the colorimetric sensor 180, it determines that the image is taken indoors. That is, since the tungsten lamp and the fluorescent lamp are used indoors, when the color temperature is detected, it is determined that the photographing is performed indoors.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the main CPU 100 when it is determined that the photographing is performed indoors based on the color temperature detected by the colorimetric sensor 180. First, when the power switch 78 of the electronic camera is turned on, the main CPU 100 turns on the GPS power switch, supplies power to the GPS unit 160, and causes the GPS unit 160 to execute positioning (step S50).
At this time, the main CPU 100 is the GPS unit 1
No power is supplied to the imaging / recording circuit in order to prevent malfunction of 60 and to save power consumption.

Next, the main CPU 100 communicates with the GPS unit 160 to determine whether or not positioning has been completed (step S52). If positioning has been completed, the main CPU 100 turns the release switch 112 halfway. The push state is monitored (step S54). When the half-press of the release switch 112 is detected, the color temperature is detected by the colorimetric sensor 180 (step S56). In addition, a photometric operation is performed to obtain a photometric value (step S
58), a distance measurement operation is executed to obtain a distance measurement value (step S60).

Then, the main CPU 100 determines whether or not the photographing is performed indoors based on the color temperature detected in step S56 (step S62). That is,
It is determined whether the color temperature detected by the colorimetric sensor 180 is the color temperature of a tungsten lamp or the color temperature of a fluorescent lamp. If the color temperature of the tungsten lamp and the fluorescent lamp is not detected and it is determined that the image is not taken indoors, it is determined whether or not the positioning of the GPS unit 160 has been completed (step S64). When completed, the positioning data is taken in from the GPS unit 160 (step S66). On the other hand, in step S62, the color temperature of the tungsten lamp and the fluorescent lamp is detected, and if it is determined that the shooting is performed indoors, the buzzer 9
8. The user is warned by the warning LED 77, the LCD 92, and the like that positioning by the GPS unit 160 is impossible (step S67), and the process proceeds to the next step 68 without taking in positioning data from the GPS unit 160.

In step 68, the main CPU 100
Drives the lens of the photographing lens 12 based on the distance measurement value obtained in the above step S60 to execute adjustment such as focus (step S68). Next, the main CPU
100 monitors the state of the full depression of the release switch 112 (step S70), and when the release switch 112 is fully depressed, supplies power to the imaging / recording circuit to operate the imaging / recording circuit (step S70). S72). Then, an image signal of the photographing subject is obtained by the CCD sensor 32, the image signal is compressed as described above, and this image signal is
Record on C card 150. If it is determined in step S62 that the image is not taken indoors, G
The positioning data captured from the PS unit 160 is recorded on the PC card 150 together with the image signal (step S7).
4).

When the recording of the image signal is completed, the main CP
U100 stops the supply of power to the imaging / recording circuit (step S76) and stops the supply of power to GPS unit 160 (step S78), and completes the shooting. In the case where the photographing is continuously performed, the power supply to the GPS unit 160 is not stopped in step S78, and the release switch 11 in step S54 is not stopped.
The process is repeated from the process of monitoring the half-pressed state of No. 2.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which whether or not an image is taken indoors is separately determined by the power supply voltage of the AC adapter or the colorimetric sensor. The determination may be made. For example, when it is determined by either one that the shooting is indoors, the measurement by the GPS unit 160 is not performed, and the user is warned that the positioning by the GPS unit 160 cannot be executed.

In the above embodiment, when it is determined that the photographing is performed indoors, the positioning data is not recorded in the PC card 150. For example, the positioning data taken in the previous photographing or the like is stored in the nonvolatile memory. In this case, when it is determined that the image is taken indoors, the positioning data at the time of the previous image capturing, etc., recorded in the non-volatile memory may be recorded on the PC card 150.

In the above embodiment, the case of an electronic camera has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in a camera using a new photographic film capable of recording various information on a magnetic recording layer of the film, G on film
The present invention can also be applied to the case where PS positioning information is recorded.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, when it is detected that electric power is supplied from a commercial power supply mainly used indoors, or when a tungsten lamp mainly used indoors is used. When a color temperature generated in a room such as a fluorescent light is detected by a colorimetric sensor, a signal indicating that positioning by a GPS device is impossible because the image is taken indoors is output. The user can be warned that the positioning information is not recorded on the recording medium. Further, when this signal is output, unnecessary operation can be prevented by prohibiting the positioning of the GPS device, and in this case, the positioning information obtained previously is recorded instead as the positioning information of the current shooting. By recording the information on the medium, it is possible to record the positioning information at a position close to the shooting location on the recording medium even in the case of shooting in a room where positioning by the GPS device is impossible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a main CPU when it is determined that shooting is performed indoors by using an AC adapter;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a main CPU when it is determined that shooting is performed indoors based on a color temperature detected by a colorimetric sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Optical unit 12 ... Photographing lens 30 ... CCD unit 32 ... CCD sensor 42 ... Digital imaging processing circuit 44 ... A / D converter 46 ... Clock generation circuit 52 ... DC / DC converter 60 ... Process unit 62 ... YC processing circuit 64 ... Memory controller 66 Frame memory 68 Compression / expansion circuit 70 PC card interface 72 Encoder circuit 80 Camera unit 88 Camera control CPU 90 Display unit 110 Switch unit 112 Release switch 120 Flash unit 140 Built-in battery 150 PC card 160 GPS unit 170 LCD monitor 180 Colorimetric sensor

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A camera which is operated by a built-in battery and is supplied with electric power from a commercial power supply when the camera is connected to a commercial power supply. A camera that takes in information and records the positioning information on a recording medium together with a photographed image, detecting whether or not the commercial power supply is connected; A camera which outputs a signal indicating that positioning by a device is impossible. 2. A camera for taking positioning information indicating a shooting location from a GPS device at the time of shooting and recording the positioning information together with a shot image on a recording medium, comprising: a colorimetric sensor for measuring a color temperature; When the sensor detects the color temperature generated in the room, the G
A camera which outputs a signal indicating that positioning by a PS device is impossible. 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a signal indicating that positioning is impossible is issued by a signal indicating that positioning is not possible. 4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein positioning by the GPS device is prohibited by a signal indicating that positioning is impossible. 5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the positioning information detected earlier is recorded on the recording medium together with the captured image in response to the signal indicating that the positioning is impossible.