Image-taking apparatus and image-taking system

• US 20050128314A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishino, Toshiki
• Application Number:
  US11/002,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128314A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19667 Details realated to data compression, encryption or encoding, e.g. resolution modes for reducing data volume to lower transmission bandwidth or memory requirements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An image-taking apparatus includes an image-pickup element having a plurality of pixels; a control section selectively performing a first image-taking operation using the image-pickup element or a second image-taking operation at a higher pixel number or a lower frame rate than for the first image-taking operation; and a detecting section detecting a state of an image-taking object. The control section performs the first image-taking operation when the state of the image-taking object detected by the detecting section is within a predetermined range, and performs the second image-taking operation when the state of the image-taking object detected by the detecting section is outside the predetermined range.

Claims

1. An image-taking apparatus, comprising:

an image-pickup element having a plurality of pixels;

a control section selectively performing a first image-taking operation using the image-pickup element or a second image-taking operation at a higher pixel number or a lower frame rate than for the first image-taking operation; and

a detecting section detecting a state of an image-taking object;

wherein the control section performs the first image-taking operation when the state of the image-taking object detected by the detecting section Is within a predetermined range, and performs the second image-taking operation when the state of the image-taking object detected by the detecting section is outside the predetermined range.

2. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detecting section detects the state of the image-taking object independently from an image signal obtained with the image-pickup element.

3. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image-taking apparatus comprises a plurality of detecting sections, which are arranged at different locations;

wherein an image-taking range of the image-pickup element can be changed; and

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation with regard to the image-taking range corresponding to a position of any of the plurality of detecting sections detecting that the state of the image-taking object is outside the predetermined range.

4. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detecting section detects vibrations;

and

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation when the detecting section has detected a vibration whose size is outside of a predetermined range or a vibration that lasts for at least a predetermined time.

5. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detecting section detects sound;

and

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation when the detecting section has detected a sound whose volume is outside the predetermined range or a sound that lasts for at least a predetermined time.

6. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detecting section detects a speed of a moving object;

and

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation when the detecting section has detected a speed that is outside the predetermined range.

7. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detecting section detects a temperature;

and

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation when the detecting section has detected a temperature that is outside the predetermined range.

8. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detecting section detects a displacement of an object;

and

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation when the detecting section has detected a displacement that is outside the predetermined range.

9. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising a sending section which sends, over a network, image information obtained with the image-pickup element.

13. An image-taking system, comprising:

.

the image-taking apparatus according to claim 9;

and

a control apparatus controlling the image-taking apparatus over the network and receiving the image information sent by the image-taking apparatus over the network.

10. An image-taking apparatus, comprising:

an image-taking optical system;

an image-pickup element having a plurality of pixels, the image-pickup element performing image-pickup through the image-taking optical system;

a control section selectively performing a first image-taking operation using the image-pickup element or a second image-taking operation at a higher pixel number or a lower frame rate than for the first image-taking operation; and

a detecting section detecting a state of the image-taking optical system;

wherein the control section performs the first image-taking operation when the state of the image-taking optical system detected by the detecting section is within a predetermined range, and performs the second image-taking operation when the state of the image-taking optical system detected by the detecting section is outside the predetermined range.

11. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the detecting section detects a zoom state of the image-taking optical system;

wherein the control section performs the second image-taking operation when the detecting section has detected a zoom state that is further to the telephoto end a predetermined zoom range.

12. The image-taking apparatus according to claim 10,

further comprising a sending section which sends, over a network, image information obtained with the image-pickup element.

14. An image-taking system, comprising:

the image-taking apparatus according to claim 12;

and

a control apparatus controlling the image-taking apparatus over the network and receiving the image information sent by the image-taking apparatus over the network.