Multi-imaging apparatus including internal imaging device and external imaging device, multi-imaging method, program, and recording medium

• US 10,298,828 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Daisuke, Oshima, Hiroyuki, Misawa, Takeshi, Tamaru, Masaya, Irie, Fuminori, Watanabe, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Selby, Gevell V
• Application Number:
  US15/449,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20170201672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A multi-imaging apparatus includes: a display unit; an internal imaging device that acquires a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and a controller. Here, the controller receives an input of the first live view image from the internal imaging device, receives the second live view image from the external imaging device through the wireless communication unit, and causes the display unit to display the input first live view image and the received second live view image as a multi-live view.

Claims

1. A multi-imaging apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

an internal imaging device that acquires a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof;

a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and

a controller that is connected to the display unit, the internal imaging device, and the wireless communication unit,

wherein the controller receives an input of the first live view image from the internal imaging device, receives the second live view image from the external imaging device through the wireless communication unit, and causes the display unit to display the input first live view image and the received second live view image as a multi-live view,

the external imaging device includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control, and

the controller outputs a motor driving instruction for driving the mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or the electronic pan/tilt mechanism, and

wherein the controller

acquires position information of the internal imaging device and the external imaging device,

acquires posture information of the internal imaging device and the external imaging device, and

transmits a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured by the external imaging device based on the position information and the posture information, to the external imaging device.

2. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller

acquires distance information indicating a distance between the internal imaging device and the subject, and

transmits a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured by the external imaging device based on the position information, the posture information, and the distance information, to the external imaging device.

3. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller

acquires posture information of the multi-imaging apparatus, and

transmits a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device in association with the posture information to the external imaging device.

4. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation unit that instructs a main imaging operation,

wherein the controller transmits, if the main imaging operation is instructed by the operation unit, an imaging instruction for instructing the main imaging operation of the external imaging device to the external imaging device.

5. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the controller causes, if a main imaging operation is instructed by the operation unit, the internal imaging device and the external imaging device to perform the main imaging operations in synchronization.

6. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the internal imaging device includes a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit, and

wherein the controller acquires the first live view image or the first image from both or one of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.

7. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the external imaging device includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control, and

wherein the controller transmits, in a case where switching between imaging of the first imaging unit and imaging of the second imaging unit is performed, an automatic tracking instruction for instructing the external imaging device to perform automatic tracking based on driving of the pan/tilt mechanism to the external imaging device.

8. A multi-imaging apparatus that transmits the second live view image or the second image to the multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit,

wherein the controller acquires the first image and the second image captured by the main imaging operations of the internal imaging device and the external imaging device, respectively, composes the acquired first image and second image in the same form of that of the live view images displayed as the multi-live view, and stores an image obtained by the composition in the storage unit.

10. The multi-imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller

acquires subject specifying information for specifying a subject captured by the internal imaging device, displayed on the display unit, and

transmits a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured by the external imaging device based on the subject specifying information, to the external imaging device.

11. A multi-imaging method comprising:

an internal imaging step of acquiring a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and

an external imaging step of acquiring, from an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof, the second live view image or the second image through wireless communication,

wherein the first live view image is input in the internal imaging step and the second live view image is received in the external imaging step,

the method further comprising;

a display step of displaying the first live view image and the second live view image as a multi-live view,

wherein the external imaging step includes a step of acquiring the second live view image or the second image captured by the external imaging device that includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control, and

a step of outputting a motor driving instruction for driving the mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or the electronic pan/tilt mechanism,

a step of acquiring position information of an internal imaging device and the external imaging device;

a step of acquiring posture information of the internal imaging device and the external imaging device; and

a step of transmitting a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured in the external imaging step based on the position information and the posture information, to the external imaging device.

12. The multi-imaging method according to claim 11, further comprising:

a step of acquiring distance information indicating a distance between the internal imaging device and the subject; and

a step of transmitting a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured in the external imaging step based on the position information, the posture information, and the distance information, to the external imaging device.

13. The multi-imaging method according to claim 11, further comprising:

a step of acquiring posture information of the multi-imaging apparatus, and

a step of transmitting a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device based on the posture information of the multi-imaging apparatus to the external imaging device.

14. The multi-imaging method according to claim 11, further comprising:

a step of acquiring the first image and the second image captured by the main imaging operations in the internal imaging step and the external imaging step, respectively;

a step of composing the acquired first image and second image in the same form of that of the live view images displayed as the multi-live view; and

a step of storing an image obtained by the composition.

15. A non-transitory recording medium on which a computer-readable code of a program that causes a computer to execute a multi-imaging method, the method comprising:

an internal imaging step of acquiring a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and

an external imaging step of acquiring, from an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof, the second live view image or the second image through wireless communication,

wherein the first live view image is input in the internal imaging step and the second live view image is received in the external imaging step,

the method further comprising;

a display step of displaying the first live view image and the second live view image as a multi-live view,

wherein the external imaging step includes a step of acquiring the second live view image or the second image captured by the external imaging device that includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control, and

a step of outputting a motor driving instruction for driving the mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or the electronic pan/tilt mechanism,

wherein a position information of the internal imaging device and an external imaging device is acquired, the posture information of the internal imaging device and the external imaging device is acquired, and a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device is transmitted so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured by the external imaging device based on the position information and the posture information, to the external imaging device.

16. A multi-imaging apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

an internal imaging device that acquires a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof;

a wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and

a controller that is connected to the display unit, the internal imaging device, and the wireless communication unit,

wherein the controller receives an input of the first live view image from the internal imaging device, receives the second live view image from the external imaging device through the wireless communication unit, and causes the display unit to display the input first live view image and the received second live view image as a multi-live view,

the external imaging device includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control, and

the controller outputs a motor driving instruction for driving the mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or the electronic pan/tilt mechanism,

wherein the controller

acquires subject specifying information for specifying a subject captured by the internal imaging device, displayed on the display unit, and

transmits the acquired subject specifying information and a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured by the external imaging device based on the subject specifying information, to the external imaging device.

17. A multi-imaging method comprising:

an internal imaging step of acquiring a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and

an external imaging step of acquiring, from an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof, the second live view image or the second image through wireless communication,

wherein the first live view image is input in the internal imaging step and the second live view image is received in the external imaging step,

the method further comprising;

a display step of displaying the first live view image and the second live view image as a multi-live view,

wherein the external imaging step includes a step of acquiring the second live view image or the second image captured by the external imaging device that includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control,

a step of outputting a motor driving instruction for driving the mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or the electronic pan/tilt mechanism;

a step of acquiring subject specifying information for specifying a subject captured in the internal imaging step; and

a step of transmitting the acquired subject specifying information and a pan/tilt driving instruction for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured in the internal imaging step is also captured by the external imaging device based on the subject specifying information, to the external imaging device.

18. A non-transitory recording medium on which a computer-readable code of a program that causes a computer to execute a multi-imaging method, the method comprising:

an internal imaging step of acquiring a first live view image or a first image captured by a main imaging operation thereof; and

an external imaging step of acquiring, from an external imaging device that acquires a second live view image or a second image captured by a main imaging operation thereof, the second live view image or the second image through wireless communication,

wherein the first live view image is input in the internal imaging step and the second live view image is received in the external imaging step,

the method further comprising;

a display step of displaying the first live view image and the second live view image as a multi-live view,

wherein the external imaging step includes a step of acquiring the second live view image or the second image captured by the external imaging device that includes a mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or an electronic pan/tilt mechanism that displays only a specific region in the second image to perform a pan/tilt control, and

a step of outputting a motor driving instruction for driving the mechanical pan/tilt mechanism or the electronic pan/tilt mechanism,

wherein subject specifying information is acquired for specifying a subject captured by the internal imaging device, displayed on the display unit, and

a pan/tilt driving instruction and the acquired subject specifying information is transmitted for controlling the pan/tilt mechanism of the external imaging device so that the subject captured by the internal imaging device is also captured by the external imaging device based on the subject specifying information, to the external imaging device.