Digital camera having a position sensor

• US 20010007469A1
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Published: 07/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Yuichi, Fuchimukai, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 6,873,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A digital camera includes a position sensor which detects a position of the camera body relative to the direction of gravity, an acceleration sensor which detects an acceleration acted upon the camera body, a memory in which image data of a captured image is recorded, and a controller. If the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when the captured image is produced is smaller than a predetermined value, the controller records the image data in the memory together with positional data of the camera body that is detected by the position sensor. If the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when the captured image is produced is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the controller deems the data on the position of the camera body as invalid data and records only the image data in the memory.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

a position sensor which detects a position of a camera body of said digital camera relative to the direction of gravity;

at least one acceleration sensor which detects an acceleration acted upon said camera body;

a memory in which image data of a captured image is recorded; and

a controller,

wherein if the magnitude of said acceleration detected by said at least one acceleration sensor at the time said captured image is produced is smaller than a predetermined value, said controller records said image data in said memory together with data on a position of said camera body that is detected by said position sensor at the time said captured image is produced, and

wherein if said magnitude of said acceleration detected by said at least one acceleration sensor at the time said captured image is produced is equal to or greater than said predetermined value, said controller deems said data on said position of said camera body as invalid data and records only said image data in said memory.

2. The digital camera according to

claim 1

, wherein said at least one acceleration sensor comprises:

a first acceleration sensor which exclusively detects an acceleration in a horizontal direction; and

a second acceleration sensor which exclusively detects an acceleration in a vertical direction perpendicular to said horizontal direction.

3. The digital camera according to

claim 1

, wherein said position sensor comprises a ball, a surface layer thereof being made of a conductive material.

4. The digital camera according to

claim 1

, wherein said position sensor comprises a ball, a light emitting element and more than one light receiving element.

5. The digital camera according to

claim 1

, wherein in the case where an acceleration detected by said acceleration sensor is in the opposite direction to the direction of gravity, said data on said position of said camera is recorded regardless of the magnitude of said acceleration.