Apparatus and method for imaging, and computer program

• US 20040189856A1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Kentaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/672 based on the phase difference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

In a still image shooting mode, when a user does not specify a position of an AF frame, an AF process is performed for an AF region of a comparatively large range whose center is in a center of a shooting frame. When the user taps on any position in an EVF area, a touch panel superimposed on a display detects its coordinates. An AF region smaller than the AF region when the user does not specify the position of the AF frame is arranged so that a center of the AF frame is on the coordinates. The AF process is carried out for the smaller AF region. When the user taps on the EVF area 221 twice at a short predetermined interval, a PDA returns the AF region to a state where the position of the AF frame 261 is not specified by the user.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for imaging a subject to be imaged and taking in a moving image and a still image of the subject;

focusing means for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means;

reception means for receiving a designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range, the designation being inputted by a user; and

position setting means for setting the first region at a position within the imaging range, based on the position designation received by the reception means.

2. An imaging method comprising:

imaging a subject and taking in a moving image and a still image of the subject;

adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means;

receiving a designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range, the designation being inputted by a user; and

setting the first region at a position within the imaging range, based on the position designation received.

3. A program for causing a computer to perform an imaging process, the imaging process comprising:

a imaging step for imaging a subject to be imaged and taking in a moving image and a still image of the subject;

a focusing step for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means;

a reception step for receiving a designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range, the designation being inputted by a user; and

a position setting step for setting the first region at a position within the imaging range, based on the position designation received by the reception means.

4. An imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for imaging a subject to be imaged and taking in a moving image and a still image of the subject;

focusing means for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means;

reception means for receiving a designation regarding a position at the first region within the imaging range, the designation being inputted by a user;

position setting means for setting the first region at a position within the imaging range, based on the position designation received by the reception means; and

range setting means for setting up a range of the first region in accordance with the position set up by the position setting means.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the position setting means set up the position of the first region in such a way that a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range if the position designation is not received by the reception means.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the position setting means set up the position of the first region in such a way that a center of the first region is located at coordinates specified by the user if the position designation is received by the reception means,

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

if the position designation is received by the reception means, the range setting means set up the range of the first region in such a way that the range of the first region set up is smaller than that of a case that the position designation is not received.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

display means for displaying the moving image obtained by imaging of the subject by the imaging means;

wherein the reception means is configured to comprise a touch panel overlaid on the display means, detect coordinates inputted by a user with a first method while allowing the user to check the moving image displayed on the display means, and receive the coordinates as the position designation.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the first method is such that the user taps on the touch panel once.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

initialization means for initializing the setup of the first region and returning the setup from a state where the position designation is received by the reception means to a state where the position designation is not received;

wherein the reception means further receives an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region inputted by the user with a second method, and

the initialization means initialize the setup of the first region based on the instruction received by the reception means.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the second method is such that the user taps on the touch panel twice within a predetermined time period.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the second method is such that the user taps on the touch panel so as to be in contact therewith for more than a predetermined period of time period.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the display means superimpose an outer frame of the first region on the moving image and cause the outer frame to blink a predetermined number of times if the focusing means focuses on the subject that is included in the first region.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the focusing means adjust the focal length and focus on the subject if the imaging means take in the still image and if the position setting means set up the position of the first region.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

prohibition means for prohibiting an adjusting process of the focusing means if the focusing means focus on the subject that is included in the first region and if the imaging means takes in the still image.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

exposure adjustment means for adjusting an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range,

wherein the position setting means set up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at the arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the position designation received by the reception means.

17. An imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for imaging a subject to be imaged and taking in a moving image and a still image of the subject;

focusing means for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means;

reception means for receiving a designation regarding a position at the first region within the imaging range, the designation being inputted by a user;

position setting means for setting the first region at a position within the imaging range, based on the position designation received by the reception means;

range setting means for setting up a range of the first region in accordance with the position set up by the position setting means; and

prohibition means for prohibiting adjustment of the focal length by the focusing means,

wherein the focusing means adjust the focal length and focus on the subject if the imaging means take in the still image and if the position setting means set up the position of the first region; and

the prohibition means prohibit the adjustment of the focusing means if the focusing means focus on the subject that is included in the first region and if the imaging means takes in the still image.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

the position setting means set up the position of the first region in such a way that a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range if the position designation is not received by the reception means.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

the position setting means set up the position of the first region in such a way that a center of the first region is located at coordinates specified by the user if the position designation is received by the reception means,

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

display means for displaying the moving image obtained by imaging of the subject by the imaging means;

wherein the reception means is configured to comprise a touch panel overlaid on the display means, detect coordinates inputted by a user with a first method while allowing the user to check the moving image displayed on the display means, and receive the coordinates as the position designation.

21. The imaging apparatus according to claim 20, wherein:

the first method is such that the user taps on the touch panel once.

22. The imaging apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

initialization means for initializing the setup of the first region and returning the setup from a state where the position designation is received by the reception means to a state where the position designation is not received;

wherein the reception means further receives an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region inputted by the user with a second method, and

the initialization means initialize the setup of the first region based on the instruction received by the reception means.

23. The imaging apparatus according to claim 22, wherein:

the second method is such that the user taps on the touch panel twice within a predetermined time period.

24. The imaging apparatus according to claim 22, wherein:

the second method is such that the user taps on the touch panel so as to be in contact therewith for more than a predetermined period of time period.

25. The imaging apparatus according to claim 20, wherein:

the display means superimpose an outer frame of the first region on the moving image and cause the outer frame to blink a predetermined number of times if the focusing means focuses on the subject that is included in the first region.

26. The imaging apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

exposure adjustment means for adjusting an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range,

wherein the position setting means set up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at the arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the position designation received by the reception means.

27. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging section for imaging a subject to be imaged and taking in a moving image and a still image of the subject;

a focusing section for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging section;

a reception section for receiving a designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range, the designation being inputted by a user; and

a position setting section for setting the first region at a position within the imaging range, based on the position designation received by the reception section.