Image capturing apparatus

• US 20040012686A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Honda, Tsutomu, Ono, Takeshi, Yasuda, Koji, Nara, Shinya
• Application Number:
  US10/603,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20040012686A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/156 Availability of hardware or computational resources, e.g. encoding based on power-saving criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus capable of efficiently transmitting image data to an external device and having improved reliability in data transmission. A data communication mode established between a data communication part and an external device is determined by a communication mode determining part. A compression ratio setting part sets a compression ratio adapted to the data communication mode determined by the communication mode determining part and sets the compression ratio to a compressor. The compressor performs a compressing process on image data to be transmitted on the basis of the set compression ratio. The compressed image data is sent to the data communication part and transmitted to the external device. As image data to be transmitted is compressed at a compression ratio adapted to a data communication mode, the amount of the image data to be transmitted is adjusted in accordance with the data communication mode, so that efficient and highly-reliable data transmission is realized.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

an image generator for photographing a subject and generating image data;

an interface for performing data communication with an external device;

a discriminator for determining a data communication mode established between said interface and said external device;

a compressor for setting a compression ratio adapted to said data communication mode on the basis of a result of determination of said discriminator and compressing said image data at the set compression ratio; and

a transmitter for transmitting said image data compressed by said compressor to said external device via said interface.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said discriminator determines communication speed as said data communication mode and said compressor sets a compression ratio in accordance with the determined communication speed.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said discriminator determines whether the communication speed is high speed or low speed and, when said communication speed is low speed, said compressor sets a higher compression ratio as compared with the case where said communication speed is high speed.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said discriminator determines wire communication or wireless communication as said data communication mode.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

when said data communication mode is wireless communication, said compressor sets a higher compression ratio as compared with the case where said data communication mode is wire communication.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a recorder for recording image data compressed by said compressor onto a recording medium.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said compressor sets a compression ratio of image data recorded on said recording medium to a value lower than a compression ratio of image data transmitted by said transmitter.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a detector for detecting an amount of image data recorded on said recording medium, wherein

said compressor sets a compression ratio on the basis of said data communication mode and said data amount.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a calculator for calculating time of transmission of image data to said external device from the data amount detected by said detector, wherein

said compressor sets a compression ratio on the basis of said data communication mode and the transmission time calculated by said calculator.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said transmitter transmits the compressed image data recorded on said recording medium to said external device.

11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

image data generated by said image generator can be transmitted as moving image data to said external device via said interface, and

said compressor sets a compression ratio of image data recorded on said recording medium to a value lower than the compression ratio used at the time of transmitting said moving image data.

12. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a converter for converting size of image data generated by said image generator on the basis of a result of determination by said discriminator, wherein

said compressor compresses the image data of which size has been converted by said converter.

13. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a recorder for recording image data compressed by said compressor onto a recording medium, wherein

said converter converts size of image data to be recorded on said recording medium to size larger than size of image data transmitted by said transmitter.

14. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detector for detecting a remaining capacity of a driving source for driving said image capturing apparatus, wherein

said compressor sets a compression ratio on the basis of said data communication mode and the remaining capacity of said driving source.

15. A method of compressing image data captured by an image capturing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

generating image data;

determining a data communication mode established between an interface for performing data communication and an external device;

setting a compression ratio adapted to the determined data communication mode;

compressing said image data at the set compression ratio; and

transmitting the compressed image data to said external device via said interface.

16. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

an image generator for photographing a subject and generating image data;

an interface for performing data communication with an external device;

a detector for detecting a remaining capacity of a driving source for driving said image capturing apparatus;

a compressor for setting a compression ratio on the basis of the remaining capacity of said driving source detected by said detector and compressing said image data at the set compression ratio; and

a transmitter for transmitting said image data compressed by said compressor to said external device via said interface.

17. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

when the remaining capacity of said driving source becomes smaller than a predetermined amount, said compressor sets a compression ratio to a higher value as compared with the case where the remaining capacity of said driving source is larger than the predetermined amount.

18. A method of compressing image data captured by an image capturing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

generating image data;

detecting a remaining capacity of a driving source for driving said image capturing apparatus;

setting a compression ratio on the basis of said detected remaining capacity of said driving source and compressing said image data at the set compression ratio; and

transmitting the compressed image data to an external device via said interface.

19. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

an image generator for photographing a subject and generating image data;

a recorder for recording the image data generated by said image generator onto a recording medium;

a first detector for detecting an amount of the image data recorded on said recording medium;

a second detector for detecting a remaining capacity of a driving source for driving said image capturing apparatus;

an interface for performing data communication with an external device;

a reader, when the remaining capacity of said driving source detected by said second detector becomes smaller than a predetermined amount, for reading image data from said recording medium in order from image data of a smaller amount on the basis of a result of detection performed by said first detector; and

a transmitter for transmitting said image data read by said reader to said external device via said interface.

20. A method of transmitting image data captured by an image capturing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

generating image data;

recording the generated image data onto a recording medium;

detecting an amount of the image data recorded on said recording medium;

detecting a remaining capacity of a driving source for driving said image capturing apparatus;

reading the image data from said recording medium in order from a smaller amount of image data in said detected data amount, when the remaining capacity of said driving source becomes smaller than a predetermined amount; and

transmitting the read image data to an external device via an interface.