Image capture and display devices, methods, and computer readable media

• US 20080094478A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Hitoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/907,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.12
• 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 image capture device according to the present invention includes: an image capture unit that captures an image; a focus control unit that controls a to-be-focused position of the capture unit; a display unit that displays the image; an area specifying unit that specifies a specific area within the image, the specific area including the to-be-focused position configured by the focus control unit; and a display control unit that controls the display unit to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.

Claims

1. An image capture device, comprising:

an image capture unit that captures an image;

a focus control unit that controls a to-be-focused position of the image capture unit;

a display unit that displays the image;

an area specifying unit that specifies a specific area within the image, the specific area including the to-be-focused position configured by the focus control unit; and

a display control unit that controls the display unit to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.

2. The image capture device as set forth in claim 1, the focus control unit comprising:

a subject distance calculation unit that calculates a plurality of distances from the image capture device to a subject corresponding respectively to a plurality of to-be-focused points on the image captured by the image capture unit;

a to-be-focused position selection unit that selects one of the plurality of to-be-focused points according to the distances calculated by the subject distance calculation unit; and

a to-be-focused position adjustment unit that adjusts the to-be-focused position of the image capture unit to be aligned to the one of the to-be-focused points,

wherein the area specifying unit compares a reference distance corresponding to the one the to-be-focused points selected by the to-be-focused point selection unit with a second distance corresponding to a second one of the to-be-focused points, and further specifies a predetermined area including the second to-be-focused point as a second specific area when the difference between the reference and the second distances exists within a predetermined range, and

wherein the display control unit allows the specific areas including the second specific area specified by the area specifying unit to be displayed relatively brighter than the area other than the specific areas within the image.

3. The image capture device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the area specifying unit determines the specific areas in order for a sum of the specific areas to be a predetermined amount or less.

4. The image capture device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an object area extraction unit that extracts an object area including the to-be-focused position configured by the focus control unit from the image displayed by the display unit,

wherein the area specifying unit specifies the object area as a specific area.

5. The image capture device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the object area extraction unit extracts a person area including the to-be-focused position configured by the focus control unit from the image displayed by the display unit, and

wherein the area specifying unit specifies the person area as a specific area.

6. The image capture device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a battery unit including a battery to supply power for driving the same,

wherein the area specifying unit specifies the specific area to be smaller as the battery remaining amount of the battery unit is less.

7. The image capture device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the display unit to allow an area nearer to the specific area to be displayed brighter within the area other than the specific area.

8. The image capture device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a backlight unit that emits light and a liquid crystal unit that displays an image by transmitting the light emitted from the backlight unit, and

wherein the display control unit controls an emission intensity of the backlight unit to be greater for displaying image contents on the specific area than for displaying image contents on the other area.

9. The image capture device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the backlight unit comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements that respectively emit light to a plurality of areas on the liquid crystal unit;

wherein the liquid crystal unit displays an image by transmitting the light emitted from the light-emitting elements; and

wherein the display control unit controls an emission intensity of some of the light-emitting elements to be relatively greater than that of the other light-emitting elements.

10. The image capture device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the backlight unit comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes that respectively emit light to a plurality of areas on the liquid crystal unit,

wherein the liquid crystal unit displays an image by transmitting the light emitted from the light-emitting diodes, and

wherein the display control unit controls an emission intensity of some of the light-emitting diodes to be relatively greater for displaying the specific area on the liquid crystal unit than for displaying the other light-emitting diodes.

11. The image capture device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements to display an image, each of the light-emitting elements emitting light per pixel, and

wherein the display control unit controls an emission intensity of some of the light-emitting elements to be relatively greater for emitting light of pixels included in the specific area than for emitting light of pixels included in the other area.

12. The image capture device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the light-emitting elements comprise organic electroluminescence elements.

13. An image capture method, comprising:

controlling a to-be-focused position of an image capture unit that captures an image;

displaying the image;

specifying a specific area within the image, the specific area including the to-be-focused position configured in the controlling of the to-be-focused position; and

controlling the displaying of the image to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.

14. A computer readable medium storing thereon program instructions executable to implement an image capture device, the image capture device comprising:

an image capture unit that captures an image;

a focus control unit that controls a to-be-focused position of the image capture unit;

a display unit that displays the image;

an area specifying unit that specifies a specific area within the image, the specific area including the to-be-focused position configured by the focus control unit; and

a display control unit that controls the display unit to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.

15. A display device for displaying an image, comprising:

a display unit that displays the image;

an area specifying unit that specifies a specific area within the image, the specific area including a to-be-focused position of the image; and

a display control unit that controls the display unit to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.

16. A display method for displaying a captured image, comprising:

specifying a specific area within the image, the specific area including a to-be-focused position of the image; and

controlling the displaying of the image to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.

17. A computer readable medium storing thereon program instructions executable to implement a display device for displaying a captured image, the display device comprising:

an area specifying unit that specifies a specific area within the image, the specific area including a to-be-focused position of the image;

a display unit that displays the image; and

a display control unit that controls the display unit to allow the specific area to be displayed relatively brighter than the other area within the image.