Imaging device

• US 20010048815A1
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Nobuyoshi, Yoda, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,417,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/310
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/24 with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure

Abstract

Recommended composition data, which represent composition images recommended at locations of photography, are stored in a recommended-composition storage medium in correlation with positional information which represents the photography locations. A GPS section receives radio waves from GPS satellites and inputs GPS information to a read-out section. Based on the positional information in the GPS information, the read-out section retrieves the recommended composition data stored in the recommended-composition storage medium. If recommended composition data is desired, it is read out and input to a superposition section. The image data obtained by an imaging section is also input to the superposition section. The desired, recommended composition data and the image data are superposed and displayed on a display unit. The image data is displayed on the display unit in real time so that photographing can be performed with the image data coincident with the desired, recommended composition data.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

imaging means for imaging a subject to acquire image data which represents said subject;

storage means for storing recommended composition data, which represent composition images recommended at various locations of photography, in correlation with photography information containing positional information which represents said various photography locations;

photography information acquisition means for acquiring said photography information;

read-out means for reading out desired, recommended composition data correlated with photography information which corresponds to said acquired photography information, from said storage means, based on said acquired photography information; and

display means for superposing and displaying a recommended composition image represented by said desired, recommended composition data and an image represented by said image data.

2. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein

said photography information contains date information which represents various dates of photography, along with said positional information;

and

said recommended composition data represent composition images recommended on said various photography dates in addition to said various photography locations.

3. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein

said photography information contains weather information which represents various weather recommended at said photography locations, along with said positional information;

and

said recommended composition data represent composition images recommended under said various weather in addition to said various photography locations.

4. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 2

, wherein

said photography information contains weather information which represents various weather recommended at said photography locations, along with said positional information;

and

said recommended composition data represent composition images recommended under said various weather in addition to said various photography locations.

5. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein

said photography information acquisition means includes global positioning system (GPS) means for acquiring GPS information as said photography information, based on radio waves from GPS satellites;

and

read-out means reads out said desired, recommended composition data correlated with photography information which contains positional information corresponding to said GPS information, from said storage means, based on said GPS information.

6. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 2

, wherein

said photography information acquisition means includes global positioning system (GPS) means for acquiring GPS information as said photography information, based on radio waves from GPS satellites;

and

read-out means reads out said desired, recommended composition data correlated with photography information which contains positional information and date information corresponding to said GPS information, from said storage means, based on said GPS information.

7. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 3

, wherein

said photography information acquisition means includes global positioning system (GPS) means for acquiring GPS information as said photography information, based on radio waves from GPS satellites, and weather information acquisition means for accessing a weather information server which provides weather information recommended at said photography location, to acquire weather information recommended at said photography location;

and

read-out means reads out said desired, recommended composition data correlated with photography information, which contains positional information corresponding to said GPS information and said acquired weather information, from said storage means, based on said GPS information and said acquired weather information.

8. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 4

, wherein

said photography information acquisition means includes global positioning system (GPS) means for acquiring GPS information as said photography information, based on radio waves from GPS satellites, and weather information acquisition means for accessing a weather information server which provides weather information recommended at said photography location, to acquire weather information recommended at said photography location;

and

read-out means reads out said desired, recommended composition data correlated with photography information, which contains positional information and date information corresponding to said GPS information and said acquired weather information, from said storage means, based on said GPS information and said acquired weather information.

9. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, further comprising archive means for archiving the image data acquired by said imaging means.

10. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 9

, wherein

said storage means stores imaging-condition information, which represents recommended imaging conditions suitable for archiving said image data in said archive means, in correlation with said recommended composition data;

and

said read-out means reads out desired imaging-condition information correlated with said desired, recommended composition data, along with said desired, recommended composition data.

11. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 10

, further comprising imaging-condition display means for displaying recommended imaging conditions represented by said desired imaging-condition information.

12. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 10

, further comprising imaging-condition set means for setting said imaging means, based on recommended imaging conditions represented by said desired imaging-condition information.

13. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 11

, further comprising imaging-condition set means for setting said imaging means, based on recommended imaging conditions represented by said desired imaging-condition information.

14. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 12

, further comprising imaging-condition-set switching means for switching ON and OFF states of said imaging-condition set means.

15. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 12

, wherein

said read-out means reads out only said desired, recommended composition data correlated with imaging-condition information which represents recommended imaging conditions settable in said imaging means.

16. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 14

, wherein

said read-out means reads out only said desired, recommended composition data correlated with imaging-condition information which represents recommended imaging conditions settable in said imaging means.

17. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 9

, wherein

said recommended composition data have attendant information related to said recommended composition images;

and

said archive means attaches said attendant information to said image data when archiving said image data.

18. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 10

, wherein

said recommended composition data have attendant information related to said recommended composition images;

and

said archive means attaches said attendant information to said image data when archiving said image data.

19. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 11

, wherein

said recommended composition data have attendant information related to said recommended composition images;

and

said archive means attaches said attendant information to said image data when archiving said image data.

20. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 12

, wherein

said recommended composition data have attendant information related to said recommended composition images;

and

said archive means attaches said attendant information to said image data when archiving said image data.

21. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 14

, wherein

said recommended composition data have attendant information related to said recommended composition images;

and

said archive means attaches said attendant information to said image data when archiving said image data.

22. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 15

, wherein

said recommended composition data have attendant information related to said recommended composition images;

and

said archive means attaches said attendant information to said image data when archiving said image data.

23. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, further comprising read-out recognition means for informing that said desired, recommended composition data is read out, when reading out said desired, recommended composition data.

24. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, wherein

said display means includes selection display means for switching display and non-display of said recommended composition image.

25. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, further comprising coincidence recognition means for informing that said recommended composition image displayed on said display means has coincided with the image representing said subject.

26. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, further comprising photography-information-acquisition switching means for switching ON and OFF states of said photography information acquisition means.

27. The imaging device as set forth in

claim 1

, further comprising:

image switching means for switching ON and OFF states of said imaging means; and

switching display means for sequentially displaying recommended composition images, represented by the recommended composition data stored in said storage means, on said display means when said imaging means is in the OFF state.