Picture imaging apparatus and imaging control method

• US 20080316339A1
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugino, Akinobu, Sano, Akane, Ozaki, Nozomu, Sako, Yoichiro, Ito, Taiji, Sekizawa, Hidehiko, Kamatani, Yoshiteru, Asukai, Masamichi, Kawakami, Itaru, Sakaguchi, Hirotaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,872,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/00 Control of exposure by setting shutters, diaphragms or filters, separately or conjointly control of exposure in television cameras by means of circuitry influencing the optical part of the camera H04N23/75
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time

Abstract

A picture imaging apparatus includes: an imaging means for imaging a subject picture to acquire taken picture data; a storage processing means for performing a storage process of taken picture data acquired by the imaging means; a motion detecting means for detecting motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself; a manipulating means for manipulating a shutter; and a control means for instructing the imaging means to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation at a timing based on a result detected in the motion detecting means during a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means.

Claims

1. A picture imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging means for imaging a subject picture to acquire taken picture data;

a storage processing means for performing a storage process of the taken picture data acquired by the imaging means;

a motion detecting means for detecting motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself;

a manipulating means for manipulating a shutter; and

a control means for instructing the imaging means to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation at a timing based on a result detected in the motion detecting means during a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means.

2. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control means instructs the imaging means to perform a second process in accordance with the shutter manipulation at a second timing at which a second result detected by the motion detecting means showing that motion is stopped is obtained.

3. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control means instructs the imaging means to perform a second process in accordance with the shutter manipulation at a second timing at which a second result detected by the motion detecting means showing that it is estimated that motion will be stopped is obtained.

4. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein in addition to a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means, for a predetermined period after the shutter manipulation, the control means instructs the imaging means to perform a second process in accordance with the shutter manipulation at a second timing based on a second result detected in the motion detecting means.

5. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning means for outputting warning,

wherein when the timing that instructs the process in accordance with the shutter manipulation is not obtained as the timing based on a result detected by the motion detecting means, the control means allows the warning means to output a warning.

6. An imaging control method for operating a picture imaging apparatus that performs a first process of acquiring an image as a subject picture in accordance with a shutter manipulation and performs a second process of storing taken picture data obtained by the image acquiring process, the imaging control method comprising:

detecting the shutter manipulation;

detecting motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself during a shutter manipulation period; and

instructing a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation at a timing based on a result detected in the act of motion detecting.

7. A picture imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to image a subject picture to acquire taken picture data;

a storage processing unit configured to perform a storage process of the taken picture data acquired by the imaging unit;

a motion detecting unit configured to detect motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself;

a manipulating unit configured to manipulate a shutter; and

a control unit configured to instruct the imaging unit to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation at a timing based on a result detected in the motion detecting unit during a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating unit.