Camera performing photographing in accordance with photographing mode depending on object scene

• US 20030197792A1
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,872,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/220.1
• 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 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

A camera includes a CPU. The CPU individually detects a ratio of an object which exceeds a threshold value in a moving amount to a center area of an object scene and a ratio of an object which exceeds the threshold value in the moving amount to a peripheral area of the object scene. If differences between the respective detected ratios are large, the CPU sets a photographing mode to a sports mode. When a shutter button is operated, the object scene is photographed in accordance with a set photographing mode.

Claims

1. A camera performing photographing in accordance with a photographing mode corresponding to an object scene when a photographing operation is performed, comprising:

a first ratio detector for detecting a first ratio of an object exceeding a first threshold value in a moving amount to a center area of said object scene;

a second ratio detector for detecting a second ratio of an object exceeding a second threshold value in the moving amount to a peripheral area of said object scene; and

a determiner for determining the photographing mode on the basis of the first ratio and the second ratio.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said determiner sets the photographing mode to a sports mode when a difference between the first ratio and the second ratio is large.

3. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first fetcher for fetching a first image signal of said object scene photographed just before the photographing operation is performed;

a second fetcher for fetching a second image signal of said object scene photographed immediately after the photographing operation is performed; and

a difference detector for detecting a difference between the first image signal and the second image signal as the moving amount.

4. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising an outputter for outputting a message corresponding to a photographing mode determined by said determiner.

5. A photographing mode determining method of a camera which performs photographing when the photographing operation is performed, comprising steps of:

(a) detecting a first ratio of an object exceeding a first threshold value in a moving amount to a center area of an object scene;

(b) detecting a second ratio of an object exceeding a second threshold value in the moving amount to a peripheral area of said object scene; and

(c) determining the photographing mode on the basis of the first ratio and the second ratio.

6. A camera performing photographing in accordance with a photographing mode corresponding to an object scene, comprising:

a first detector for detecting an average luminance of said object scene;

a second detector for detecting a ratio of a high luminance area to said object scene; and

a determiner for determining the photographing mode on the basis of the average luminance and the ratio.

7. A camera according to claim 6, wherein said determiner sets the photographing mode to a night mode when the average luminance is small and the ratio is large.

8. A camera according to claim 6, further comprising an outputter for outputting a message corresponding to a photographing mode determined by said determiner.

9. A photographing mode determining method of a camera which photographs an object scene, comprising steps of:

(a) detecting an average luminance of said object scene;

(b) detecting a ratio of a high luminance area to said object scene; and

(c) determining the photographing mode on the basis of the average luminance and the ratio.

10. A camera performing photographing in a photographing mode corresponding to an object scene, comprising:

a ratio detector for detecting a ratio of a high luminance evening scene color area to a defined area formed in a cross shape in said object scene;

a luminance difference detector for detecting a luminance difference between periphery areas opposed with each other in said object scene; and

a determiner for determining the photographing mode on the basis of the ratio and the luminance difference.

11. A camera according to claim 10, wherein said determiner sets the photographing mode to an evening scene mode when the luminance difference is large and the ratio is large.

12. A camera according to claim 10, further comprising an outputter for outputting a message corresponding to the photographing mode determined by said determiner.

13. A photographing mode determining method of a camera which photographs an object scene, comprising steps of:

(a) detecting a ratio of a high luminance evening scene color area to a defined area formed in a cross shape in said object scene;

(b) detecting a luminance difference between periphery areas opposed with each other in said object scene; and

(c) determining the photographing mode on the basis of the ratio and the luminance difference.

14. A camera for performing photographing in accordance with a photographing mode corresponding to an object scene, comprising:

a first measure for measuring a distance to a main object existing in said object scene;

a specifier for specifying a face area to be occupied by a face of a person from said object scene on the basis of the distance measured by said first measure;

a detector for detecting a skin color area of said object scene; and

a determiner for determining the photographing mode on the basis of a relationship between said face area and said skin color area.

15. A camera according to claim 14, further comprising a zoom lens, wherein said first measure measures the distance on the basis of a position of said zoom lens.

16. A camera according to claim 14, further comprising:

a focus lens;

an image sensor having a light-receiving surface to which an optical image of said object scene through said focus lens is incident; and

a second measure for measuring a distance between said focus lens and said light-receiving surface, wherein said specifier specifies a face area out of an object scene image projected on said light receiving-surface on the basis of the distance measured by said first measure and the distance measured by said second measure.

17. A camera according to claim 14, wherein said determiner includes a first skin color area determiner for determining a size of a first skin color area included in said face area, a second skin color area determiner for determining a size of a second skin color area excluded from said face area, and a mode setter for setting the photographing mode to a portrait mode on the basis of a size of the first skin color area and a size of the second skin color area.

18. A camera according to claim 14, further comprising an outputter for outputting a message corresponding to the photographing mode determined by said determiner.

19. A photographing mode determining method of a camera which photographs an object scene, comprising steps of:

(a) determining a distance to a main object existing in said object scene;

(b) specifying a face area to be occupied by a face of a person from said object scene on the basis of a distance measured in said step (a);

(c) detecting a skin color area of said object scene; and

(d) determining the photographing mode on the basis of a relationship between said face area and said skin color area.