Imaging apparatus, client device, imaging system, control method of imaging apparatus, control method of client device, and control method of imaging system

• US 10,178,324 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Niida, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garces-Rivera, Angel L
• Application Number:
  US15/335,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/00 Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/12 with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/75 by influencing optical camera components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A method for operating an imaging apparatus includes transmitting and shooting. The imaging apparatus can perform normal shooting or infrared shooting based on adjustment information received from a client device via a network. Information, transmitted to the client, indicates whether adjustment information for performing switching from the normal shooting to the infrared shooting and adjustment information for performing switching from the infrared shooting to the normal shooting can be individually set. A subject'"'"'s image is shot by performing switching between the normal shooting and the infrared shooting based on the adjustment information received from the client device.

Claims

1. A method for operating an imaging apparatus that can perform normal shooting or infrared shooting based on adjustment information received from a client device via a network, the method comprising:

transmitting, to the client device, information indicating whether adjustment information for performing switching from the normal shooting to the infrared shooting and adjustment information for performing switching from the infrared shooting to the normal shooting can be individually set to the imaging apparatus; and

shooting a subject'"'"'s image by performing normal shooting or infrared shooting with switching between the normal shooting and the infrared shooting based on the adjustment information received from the client device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment information is threshold value information of subject luminance.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment information is a delay time at a time of start of an operation of switching of shooting.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising transmitting the shot subject'"'"'s image to the client device.

5. A method for controlling an imaging system including a client device and an imaging apparatus that can perform normal shooting or infrared shooting based on adjustment information received from the client device via a network, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the imaging apparatus to the client device, information indicating whether first adjustment information for performing switching from the normal shooting to the infrared shooting and second adjustment information for performing switching from the infrared shooting to the normal shooting can be individually set;

transmitting, from the client device to the imaging apparatus, at least one of the first adjustment information and the second adjustment information according to the information; and

shooting a subject'"'"'s image by automatically performing switching between the normal shooting and the infrared shooting by the imaging apparatus, based on the adjustment information received from the client device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein each of the first adjustment information and the second adjustment information is threshold value information of subject luminance.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein each of the first adjustment information and the second adjustment information is a delay time at a time when the imaging apparatus starts an operation of switching of shooting.

8. The method according to claim 5 further comprising transmitting, from the imaging apparatus to the client device, the shot subject'"'"'s image.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for controlling an imaging apparatus capable of performing normal shooting and infrared shooting based on adjustment information received from a client device via a network, wherein the program is configured to cause a computer to execute processes comprising:

transmitting, to the client device, information indicating whether adjustment information for performing switching from the normal shooting to the infrared shooting and adjustment information for performing switching from the infrared shooting to the normal shooting are able to be individually set to the imaging apparatus; and

shooting a subject'"'"'s image by performing normal shooting or infrared shooting with switching between the normal shooting and the infrared shooting based on the adjustment information received from the client device.

10. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to a client device via a network, information indicating whether adjustment information for performing switching from a normal shooting to an infrared shooting and adjustment information for performing switching from the infrared shooting to the normal shooting can be individually set to the imaging apparatus;

a receiving unit configured to receive adjustment information from the client device via the network; and

a shooting unit configured to shoot a subject'"'"'s image by performing normal shooting or infrared shooting with switching between the normal shooting and the infrared shooting based on the adjustment information received from the client device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the adjustment information is threshold value information of subject luminance.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the adjustment information is a delay time at a time of start of an operation of switching of shooting.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a transmitting unit configured to transmit the shot subject'"'"'s image to the client device.