Imaging apparatus and method for controlling display device

• US 20060210264A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Saga, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,672,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/287
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/30 indicating depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

An imaging apparatus automatically detects an object and displays information on a display device based on a comparison between detected data and memorized (stored) data. The imaging apparatus includes a detecting circuit and a memorizing circuit. The detecting circuit detects the object based on the image data produced from an output of an imaging element and calculates a feature value representing a feature of the detected object. The memorizing circuit memorizes the feature value calculated by the detecting circuit. A feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data displayed on the display device is compared with the feature value memorized in the memorizing circuit. The display device displays information relating to the comparison result.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging element configured to produce an imaging output;

a detecting circuit configured to detect an object based on image data produced from the imaging output of the imaging element and to calculate a feature value representing a feature of the detected object;

a memorizing circuit configured to memorize feature values of photographing objects;

a comparing circuit configured to compare the feature value obtained by the detecting circuit with the feature value of at least one photographing object previously memorized by the memorizing circuit; and

a display device configured to display an image based on the image data produced from the imaging output of the imaging element,

wherein the comparing circuit uses a feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data used to display the image on the display device in the comparison between the feature value obtained by the detecting circuit and the feature values previously memorized by the memorizing circuit, and

wherein the display device displays information relating to a comparison result provided by the comparing circuit.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operating member configured to instruct a photographing operation, wherein the memorizing circuit is configured to memorize a feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on image data obtained in response to an action of the operating member.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the operating member is operated under a condition that the display device displays the image, the detecting circuit calculates the feature value based on the image data obtained in response to the action of the operating member.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the memorizing circuit is configured to memorize photographing information relating to a photographing object in addition to the feature value of the photographing object, and

wherein, when the comparing circuit determines that the feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data obtained in response to the action of the operating member and the feature value of a respective photographing object previously memorized in the memorizing circuit correspond to the same photographing object, the memorizing circuit memorizes the photographing information relating to the photographing object.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the comparing circuit is configured to determine whether the feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data used to display the image on the display device and the feature value of a respective photographing object previously memorized in the memorizing circuit correspond to the same photographing object.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when the comparing circuit determines that the feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data used to display the image on the display device and the feature value of a respective photographing object previously memorized in the memorizing circuit correspond to the same photographing object, the display device is configured to display the photographing information relating to the photographing object.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes a cumulative photographing number.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes a photographing time.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes information which indicates images including the photographing object.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the comparing circuit is configured to determine that the feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data obtained in response to the action of the operating member and the feature value of a respective photographing object previously memorized in the memorizing circuit during a pre-designated time period correspond to the same photographing object, the memorizing circuit is configured to memorize photographing information relating to the photographing object.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when the comparing circuit determines that the feature value calculated by the detecting circuit based on the image data used to display the image on the display device and the feature value of a respective photographing object previously memorized in the memorizing circuit during the pre-designated time period correspond to the same photographing object, the display device is configured to display photographing information relating to the photographing object.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a retrieval unit configured to retrieve images including a selected photographing object.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is a moving image.

14. A method for controlling a display device, comprising:

a detecting step of detecting an object based on image data produced from an imaging output of an imaging element and calculating a feature value representing a feature of the detected object;

a comparing step of comparing the feature value obtained in the detecting step with a previously memorized feature value for at least one photographing object; and

a displaying step of displaying an image on the display device based on the image data produced from the imaging output of the imaging element,

wherein the comparing step uses a feature value calculated based on the image data used to display the image on the display device in comparing the feature value obtained in the detecting step and the previously memorized feature value for the at least one photographing object, and

wherein the displaying step causes the display device to display information relating to a comparison result obtained in the comparing step.

15. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 14, further comprising a memorizing step of memorizing the feature value calculated in the detecting step when it is determined in the comparing step that the feature value calculated in the detecting step does not match any previously memorized feature value.

16. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 15, wherein the comparing step uses the feature value calculated in the detecting step based on the image data obtained in response to an action of an operating member instructing a photographing operation.

17. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 16, further comprising a step of, when it is determined in the comparing step that the feature value calculated in the detecting step based on the image data obtained in response to the action of the operating member and the feature value memorized in the memorizing step correspond to the same photographing object, memorizing photographing information relating to the photographing object.

18. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 17, wherein the displaying step further comprises causing the display device to display photographing information relating to the photographing object.

19. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 17, further comprising a step of, when it is determined in the comparing step that the feature value calculated in the detecting step based on the image data obtained in response to the action of the operating member and the feature value memorized in the memorizing step during a pre-designated period correspond to the same photographing object, memorizing photographing information relating to the photographing object.

20. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 19, wherein, when it is determined in the comparing step that the feature value calculated in the detecting step based on the image data used to display the image on the display device and the feature value memorized in the memorizing step during the pre-designated period correspond to the same photographing object, the displaying step further comprises causing the display device to display photographing information relating to the photographing object.

21. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 17, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes a cumulative photographing number.

22. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 17, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes a photographing time.

23. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 17, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes information which indicates images including the photographing object.

24. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 17, further comprising a retrieval step of retrieving images including a selected photographing object and displaying the retrieved images.

25. The method for controlling a display device according to claim 14, wherein the image is a moving image.

26. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising:

a producing step of producing image data by using an imaging element;

a detecting step of detecting an object based on the image data produced in the producing step and calculating a feature value representing a feature of the detected object;

a comparing step of comparing the feature value obtained in the detecting step with a previously memorized feature value for at least one photographing object; and

a memorizing step of updating and memorizing photographing information relating to the photographing object when it is determined in the comparing step that the feature value obtained in the detecting step matches a previously memorized feature value for a photographing object.

27. The method for controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a step of generating a thumbnail image of the photographing object from the image data produced in the producing step and memorizing the thumbnail image in correlation with the photographing information.

28. The method for controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising:

a selecting step of selecting the photographing object via the thumbnail image; and

a retrieval step of retrieving images including the selected photographing object.

29. The method for controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes a cumulative photographing number.

30. The method for controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes a photographing time.

31. The method for controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the photographing information relating to the photographing object includes information which indicates images including the photographing object.

32. The method for controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a memorizing step of memorizing the feature value calculated in the detecting step when it is determined in the comparing step that the feature value calculated in the detecting step does not match any previously memorized feature value.