PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC METHOD

• US 20090110386A1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sako, Yoichiro, Kon, Takayasu, Kamada, Yasunori, Hayashi, Kazunori, Kawakami, Itaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/223
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00395 Arrangements for reducing operator input input arrangements for job or mode instructions or parameters H04N1/00962; intelligent menu interfaces H04N1/00437
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

A photographic apparatus infers a user'"'"'s photographic intent and accordingly switches between a manual shoot mode and an automatic shoot mode. In the manual shoot mode, processing to save photographic image data is timed in accordance with the user operating a user-operable shutter element, while in the automatic shoot mode, such processing is conducted independently of shutter element operations. A photographic unit photographs a scene, acquires photographic image data of a subject, and then executes processing for saving the photographic image data. An intention judgment information detector detects intention judgment information used to judge the photographic intent of the user. A controller makes an intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detector, and according to the intention judgment result, causes the photographic unit to selectively execute the operations for one of the modes.

Claims

1. A photographic apparatus, comprising:

photographic means for photographing a scene, acquiring photographic image data of a subject, and executing processing for saving the photographic image data;

intention judgment information detecting means for detecting intention judgment information used to judge a photographic intent of a user; and

control means able to cause the photographic means to execute operations for both a manual shoot mode, wherein processing to save the photographic image data is timed in accordance with operations of a user-operable shutter element by the user, and an automatic shoot mode, wherein processing to save the photographic image data is conducted independently of shutter element operations, wherein the control means further makes a first intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detecting means, and according to a first intention judgment result, causes the photographic means to selectively execute the operations for either the manual shoot mode or the automatic shoot mode.

2. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means, in addition to causing the photographic means to execute the operations for the automatic shoot mode, makes the first intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detecting means, and depending on the intention judgment result, subsequently causes the photographic means to execute the operations for the manual shoot mode.

3. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

display means for producing a monitor display of a subject image while photographic operations are being conducted by the photographic means;

wherein the control means conducts a control that causes the display means to produce the monitor display when in the manual shoot mode, and turn off the monitor display when in the automatic shoot mode.

4. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means applies an operational lock to user-operable shutter elements when the photographic apparatus is in the automatic shoot mode.

5. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes the photographic means to execute processing to save photographic image data using respectively different image sizes for the automatic shoot mode and the manual shoot mode.

6. The photographic apparatus according claim 1, wherein the control means causes the photographic means to execute processing to save the photographic image data such that compression processing is specified using respectively different compression ratios for the automatic shoot mode and the manual shoot mode.

7. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means makes the first intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detecting means the first intention judgment determining whether a body of the photographic apparatus has been held by the user for at least a predetermined amount of time.

8. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means makes the first intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detecting means, the first intention judgment determining whether a body of the photographic apparatus has moved in a set direction, and after such movement is detected, whether the body of the photographic apparatus has been in a stationary state for at least a predetermined amount of time.

9. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means makes the first intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detecting means, the first intention judgment determining whether a body of the photographic apparatus has moved from a worn position, and after such movement is detected, whether the body of the photographic apparatus has been in a stationary state for at least a predetermined amount of time.

10. The photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intention judgment information detecting means comprises:

a user photographic unit for acquiring an image of the user, and

an image analyzer for analyzing an image acquired by the user photographic unit, and wherein

the control means makes the first intention judgment on the basis of the analysis result of the image analyzer.

11. A photographic method for a photographic apparatus that photographs a scene, acquires photographic image data of a subject, and then executes processing to save the photographic image data, the method comprising:

operating in an automatic shoot mode, wherein processing to save photographic image data is automatically conducted independently of operations of a user-operable shutter element by a user;

while operating in the automatic shoot mode, making an intention judgment for judging a photographic intent of the user; and

depending on a result of the intention judgment with respect to the photographic intent of the user, operating in a manual shoot mode, wherein processing to save photographic image data is timed in accordance with operations of a user-operable shutter element by the user.

12. A photographic apparatus, comprising:

a photographic unit configured to photograph a scene to acquire photographic image data of a subject, and to execute processing for saving the photographic image data;

an intention judgment information detector configured to detect intention judgment information used to judge a photographic intent of a user; and

a controller configured to cause the photographic unit to execute operations for both a manual shoot mode, wherein processing to save the photographic image data is timed in accordance with operations of a user-operable shutter element by the user, and an automatic shoot mode, wherein processing to save the photographic image data is conducted independently of shutter element operations, wherein the controller further makes a first intention judgment using the intention judgment information from the intention judgment information detector, and according to the first intention judgment result, causes the photographic unit to selectively execute the operations for either the manual shoot mode or the automatic shoot mode.