Object shooting condition judging device, image quality adjustment device, and image shooting apparatus

• US 20040189820A1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yagi, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,394,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control

Abstract

An object shooting condition judging device for an image shooting apparatus of the present invention includes: an ultraviolet light detecting element for detecting received ultraviolet light; comparing means for comparing ultraviolet light intensity detected by the ultraviolet light detecting element with predetermined intensity that has been determined in advance; and judging means for judging shooting conditions of an object based on the comparison result of the comparing means. This object shooting condition judging device enables quick response and is capable of adjusting white balance of images between indoors and outdoors in a simple and easy manner.

Claims

1. An object shooting condition judging device for an image shooting apparatus, the device comprising:

an ultraviolet light detecting element for detecting received ultraviolet light;

comparing means for comparing ultraviolet light intensity detected by the ultraviolet light detecting element to a predetermined intensity; and

judging means for judging shooting conditions of an object based on the comparison result of the comparing means.

2. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light detecting element is disposed on a taking lens side of the image shooting apparatus.

3. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light detecting element is disposed on a side opposite to a taking lens side of the image shooting apparatus.

4. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1, wherein an ultraviolet light transmitting lens is disposed on an ultraviolet light incident side of the ultraviolet light detecting element.

5. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light detecting element is constituted by a semiconductor including at least one group III element and nitrogen.

6. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying ultraviolet light intensity detected by the ultraviolet light receiving element.

7. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1, wherein a threshold value of the predetermined intensity of ultraviolet light is set to equal to or more than 10 μ

W/cm².

13. An image quality adjustment device for adjusting image quality based on the judgment result of an object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1.

14. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 13, wherein white balance is adjusted according to the judgment result of the judging means.

15. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 13, wherein the judging means judges that the object is illuminated by sunlight when the detected ultraviolet light intensity is equal to or more than the predetermined intensity, and the adjustment means adjusts white balance based on the judgment.

16. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 13, wherein the judging means judges that the object is illuminated by light of a fluorescent lamp indoors when the detected ultraviolet light intensity is less than the predetermined intensity, and the adjustment means adjusts white balance based on the judgment.

17. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a first ultraviolet light detecting element disposed on a taking lens side of the image shooting apparatus; and

a second ultraviolet light detecting element disposed on a side opposite to the taking lens side of the image shooting apparatus, wherein

the comparing means compares ultraviolet light intensity detected by the first ultraviolet light detecting element and ultraviolet light intensity detected by the second ultraviolet light detecting element, with a first predetermined value, respectively, and also comparing a difference or ratio between the ultraviolet light intensity detected by the first ultraviolet light detecting element and the ultraviolet light intensity detected by the second ultraviolet light detecting element, with a second predetermined value, and

the judging means judges shooting conditions of an object based on the comparison result of the comparing means.

19. An image shooting apparatus equipped with an object shooting condition judging device according to claim 1 or an image quality adjustment device according to claim 14.

20. An image shooting apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising lighting means for lighting flash when shooting based on the comparison result of the comparing means.

21. An image shooting apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a plural number of illuminance detecting means for detecting illuminance of visible light and lighting means for lighting flash when shooting based on the comparison result of illuminance detected by the illuminance detecting means.

8. An object shooting condition judging device comprising:

a first ultraviolet light detecting element disposed on a taking lens side of an image shooting apparatus so as to detect received ultraviolet light;

a second ultraviolet light detecting element disposed on a side opposite to the taking lens side of the image shooting apparatus so as to detect received ultraviolet light;

comparing means for comparing ultraviolet light intensity detected by the first ultraviolet light detecting element and ultraviolet light intensity detected by the second ultraviolet light detecting element, with a first predetermined value, respectively, and also comparing a difference or ratio between the ultraviolet light intensity detected by the first ultraviolet light detecting element and the ultraviolet light intensity detected by the second ultraviolet light detecting element, with a second predetermined value; and

judging means for judging shooting conditions of an object based on the comparison result of the comparing means.

9. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 8, wherein an ultraviolet light transmitting lens is disposed on an ultraviolet light incident side of the ultraviolet light detecting element.

10. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 8, wherein the ultraviolet light detecting element is constituted by a semiconductor including at least one group III element and nitrogen.

11. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 8, further comprising a display unit for displaying ultraviolet light intensity detected by the ultraviolet light receiving element.

12. An object shooting condition judging device according to claim 8, wherein the first predetermined value of ultraviolet light is equal to or more than 10 μ

W/cm².

18. An image adjustment device comprising:

a first ultraviolet light detecting element disposed on a taking lens side of an image shooting apparatus so as to detect received ultraviolet light;

a second ultraviolet light detecting element disposed on a side opposite to the taking lens side of the image shooting apparatus so as to detect received ultraviolet light;

comparing means for comparing ultraviolet light intensity detected by the first ultraviolet light detecting element with a first predetermined value, the comparing means also comparing ultraviolet light intensity detected by the second ultraviolet light detecting element with the first predetermined value, and the comparing means also comparing a difference between the ultraviolet light intensity detected by the first ultraviolet light detecting element and the ultraviolet light intensity detected by the second ultraviolet light detecting element or a ratio between both intensities to a second predetermined value;

judging means for judging shooting conditions of an object based on the comparison result of the comparing means; and

adjustment means for adjusting white balance according to the judgment result of the judging means.