Image sensing system, communication apparatus and image sensing apparatus having remote control function, and their control method

• US 20030193576A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.8
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A system according to this invention easily and adequately notifies, on a remote controller, the user of the release timing on an image sensing apparatus side. To accomplish this, the remote controller receives a release timing signal associated with the image sensing timing from a digital camera, and notifies the image sensing timing on the basis of the received release timing signal.

Claims

1. An image sensing system which includes an image sensing apparatus, and a remote controller for remote-controlling said image sensing apparatus,

said image sensing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an image; and

transmission means for transmitting the image input from said input means, and an image sensing timing notification information associated with an image sensing timing to said remote controller, and

said remote controller comprising control means for controlling to display the image transmitted from said image sensing apparatus, and to notify the image sensing timing in correspondence with contents of the image sensing timing notification information transmitted from said image sensing apparatus.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said image sensing apparatus further comprises first timing value change means for changing a timing value indicating a remaining time until an image sensing timing at predetermined time intervals, and senses an image when the timing value has reached a predetermined value, and

said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing notification information indicating that timing value to said remote controller.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing notification information every time said first timing value change means has changed the timing value.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing notification information indicating the timing value once per image sensing operation to said remote controller in response to a request from said remote controller.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said remote controller further comprises second timing value change means for changing the received timing value at predetermined time intervals.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said image sensing apparatus further comprises determination means for determining a delay error produced by a communication with said remote controller, and

said transmission means generates and transmits the image sensing timing notification information in consideration of the delay error.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said remote controller further comprises setting means for setting an image for notifying the image sensing timing.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means appends the image sensing timing notification information to the image input from said input means, and transmits the image appended with the image sensing timing notification information.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the image input from said input means, and the image sensing timing notification information as independent data.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the image every time an image request is received from said remote controller.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said image sensing apparatus and said remote controller can establish a plurality of links, and

said transmission means transmits the image and the image sensing timing notification information using different links.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control means plays a tone corresponding to the contents of the image sensing timing notification information from said image sensing apparatus.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control means displays the image transmitted from said image sensing apparatus with an information to indicate the image sensing timing based on the image sensing timing notification information from said image sensing apparatus.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said display means composites and displays the image and the information to indicate the image sensing timing.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said display means displays the information to indicate the image sensing timing on the currently displayed image upon reception of the image sensing timing notification information.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said display means displays the image transmitted from said image sensing apparatus, and the information to indicate the image sensing timing on independent areas.

17. A communication apparatus having a function of remote-controlling an image sensing apparatus, comprising:

reception means for receiving an image and an image sensing timing notification information associated with an image sensing timing, which are transmitted from the image sensing apparatus; and

control means for controlling to display the image received by said reception means, and to notify the image sensing timing in correspondence with contents of the image sensing timing notification information received by said reception means.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control means updates a display image every time the image is received.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control means notifies the image sensing timing in correspondence with contents of the image sensing timing notification information.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said reception means receives the image sensing timing notification information as additional information of the image.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said reception means receives the image sensing timing notification information and the image as independent data.

22. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control means plays a tone corresponding to the contents of the image sensing timing notification information received by said reception means.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said control means displays the image transmitted from said image sensing apparatus with the information to indicate the image sensing timing based on the image sensing timing notification information received by said reception means.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said display means composites and displays the image and the information to indicate the image sensing timing transmitted from said image sensing apparatus.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said display means displays the information to indicate the image sensing timing on the currently displayed image upon reception of the image sensing timing notification information.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said display means displays the image transmitted from said image sensing apparatus, and the information to indicate the image sensing timing on independent areas.

27. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an image; and

transmission means for transmitting the image input from said input means, and an image sensing timing notification information associated with an image sensing timing to a remote controller.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing notification information together with the image upon reception of a transmission request of the image from the remote controller.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing notification information together with the image upon reception of a transmission request of the image sensing timing notification information from the remote controller during transmission of the image.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing notification information as additional information of the image.

31. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said transmission means transmits the image and the image sensing timing notification information as independent data.

32. A method of controlling an image sensing system which includes an image sensing apparatus, and a remote controller for remote-controlling the image sensing apparatus, comprising:

an input step of inputting an image in the image sensing apparatus;

a transmission step of transmitting the image input in the input step, and an image sensing timing notification information associated with an image sensing timing to the remote controller in the image sensing apparatus; and

a control step of controlling, in the remote controller, to display the image transmitted from the image sensing apparatus, and to notify the image sensing timing in correspondence with contents of the image sensing timing notification information transmitted from the image sensing apparatus.

33. A method of controlling a communication apparatus having a function of remote-controlling an image sensing apparatus, comprising:

a reception step of receiving an image and an image sensing timing notification information associated with an image sensing timing, which are transmitted from the image sensing apparatus; and

a control step of controlling to display the image received in the reception step, and to notify the image sensing timing in correspondence with contents of the image sensing timing notification information received in the reception step.

34. A method of controlling an image sensing apparatus, comprising:

an input step of inputting an image; and

a transmission step of transmitting the image input in the input step, and an image sensing timing notification information associated with an image sensing timing to a remote controller.