Camera and method of photographing good image

• US 20040170397A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Shuji
• Application Number:
  US10/798,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20040170397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A camera includes a release button, an input unit, an A/D converter, a memory, a control unit, an alarm, a recording unit and an output unit. The memory stores data for the image converted by the A/D converter. The control unit judges whether or not the image stored in the memory satisfies a predetermined photographing condition and outputs a timing signal when the image satisfies the photographing condition. The alarm outputs an alarm signal to a photographer. The recording unit records the refined image on a recording medium. The output unit outputs the refined image.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

an image data input unit forming a plurality of images of a subject for photographing said subject;

a condition storing unit storing a predetermined photographing condition related to a desirable variation of said subject;

a variation detector detecting variation of said subject in said plurality of said images based on information of said plurality of images; and

a timing signal generator outputting a timing signal when said variation of said subject satisfies said photographing condition.

2. A camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an extractor extracting data of an aimed object from each of said plurality of images of said subject based on an extracting condition,

wherein said photographing condition includes a predetermined condition related to a desirable aimed object,

said variation detector detects variation of said aimed object in said plurality of images based on said information of said plurality of images, and

said timing signal generator outputs said timing signal when said variation of said aimed object satisfies said photographing condition.

3. A camera as set forth in claim 2, wherein said extracting condition is based on depth information of said plurality of images indicating the distance to each part of said subject.

4. A camera as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said extractor detects data of a judgement location from said data of said aimed object in each of said plurality of images based on a detecting condition different from said extracting condition,

said photographing condition includes a predetermined photographing condition related to a desirable judgement location,

said variation detector detects variation of said judgement location in said plurality of images based on said information of said plurality of images, and

said timing signal generator outputs said timing signal when said variation of said judgement location satisfies said photographing condition.

5. A camera as set forth in claim 4,

wherein said photographing condition includes a predetermined starting condition for starting detection of said variation of said judgement location, and

said variation detector starts detecting said variation of said judgement location when said judgement location satisfies said starting condition.

6. A camera as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said extractor extracts data of a plurality of said aimed objects from each of said plurality of images,

said variation detector detects variation of each of said plurality of said aimed objects in said plurality of images based on information of said plurality of images, and

said timing signal generator outputs said timing signal when said variation of said plurality of said aimed objects satisfy said photographing condition.

7. A camera as set forth in claim 6,

wherein said extractor detects data of a plurality of judgement locations from each of said data of said plurality of aimed objects based on a detecting condition different from said extracting condition,

said photographing condition includes a predetermined photographing condition related to desirable variation of said judgement location,

said variation detector detects variation of each of said plurality of said judgement locations in said plurality of images based on information of said plurality of images, and

said timing signal generator outputs said timing signal when said variation of said plurality of said judgement locations satisfy said photographing condition.

8. A camera as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an image pickup control unit controlling said input unit for photographing said image based on said timing signal.

9. A camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an illuminator illuminating said subject based on said timing signal.

10. A camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a recording unit recording said image on a replaceable nonvolatile recording medium based on said timing signal.

11. A camera as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an alarm outputting an alarm signal for notifying that said subject satisfies said photographing condition based on said timing signal.

12. A camera as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said photographing condition includes a plurality of photographing conditions, and

said camera further comprises a condition-setting unit previously selecting at least one of said photographing conditions for photographing said image, from among said plurality of photographing conditions.

13. A camera as set forth in claim 8, wherein said timing signal generator selects said judgement location satisfying said photographing condition from among said plurality of said judgement locations in said plurality of images, and outputs information for said aimed object including said judgement location, and

said camera further comprising:

an input condition determining unit determining an input condition for inputting said image based on information for said judgement location; and

an image forming control unit controlling an input unit for forming said image of said subject based on said input condition.

14. A camera as set forth in claim 8, wherein said timing signal generator selects said judgement location satisfying

said photographing condition from among said plurality of said judgement locations in said plurality of images, and outputs information for said aimed object including said judgement location, and

said camera further comprising an image processing unit processing said image based on said information for said judgement location.

15. A method of photographing a plurality of images of a subject comprising:

detecting variation of said subject in said plurality of said images based on information for said plurality of images;

outputting a timing signal when said variation of said subject satisfies a predetermined photographing condition related to a desirable variation of said subject.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising extracting data of an aimed object from each of said plurality of images of said subject based on an extracting condition,

said detecting includes detecting variation of said aimed object based on information for said image, and

said timing signal is output when said variation of said aimed object satisfies said photographing condition.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said extraction of said aimed object includes detecting data of a judgement location from said data of said aimed object in each of said plurality of images based on a detecting condition different from said extracting condition,

said detecting variation of said subject includes detecting variation of said judgement location based on information for said image, and

said timing signal is output when said variation of said judgement location satisfies said photographing condition.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said photographing condition includes a predetermined starting condition for starting detection of said variation of said judgement location, and

said detecting of variation starts detecting said variation of said judgement location when said judgement location satisfies said starting condition.

19. A method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising photographing said image based on said timing signal.